2011 Bastide Miraflors

The Lafage 2011 Bastide Miraflors indicates the gist of its tank-raised contents immediately beneath that name on its front label: “Syrah & Vieilles Vignes de Grenache.” The former comes from high-elevation Lesquerde and brings white pepper to the blend while Grenache from Maury contributes black raspberry confiture and a smoky-stony undertone. Marjoram, thyme, anise, wisteria and mouthwateringly meaty savor add stunningly to this cuvees complexity and sheer sensual appeal. There is an amazing sense of brightness and buoyancy here for a wine so ripe-tasting – or at least, it’s amazing other than within the remarkable world Lafage seems to inhabit (or should I say “create”?), where seemingly impossible ends are reconciled and you get to have your cake and eat it too! A crunch of berry seeds invigorates, even as polish and richness caress. And speaking of “amazing,” that is too weak a word for the utterly improbable, almost absurd value offered by this cuvee that I suspect will remain stunning through at least 2016. Due to a misunderstanding with Jean-Marc Lafage I was time-constrained when most recently confronting his enormous portfolio and forced to skip some wines, including all of his recent rose and sweet bottlings and some wines from a couple of other Roussillon projects for which he consults. (The wines of his Maury-based estate Chateau Saint-Roch are reviewed under that name in this report.) The wines I tasted on this occasion represented as uncanny a balance of richness with lift as I have encountered from Lafage and his wife Eliane – both trained oenologists – and those who have following my precious reports will realize that this is puts these wines practically in a class by themselves for value. Among the exciting new projects from Lafage are one in the Ventoux (whose initial releases look set to maintain his remarkable reputation for value); further Roussillon cuvees with his U.S. importer Eric Solomon (reviewed here); and the first Collioure (for more about which, see under my accompanying tasting note below), a wine that immediately rises to the cream of its appellation. Importer: Eric Solomon Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565